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Cavendish taken to hospital

Last Updated: July 5 2014, 18:00 BST

Mark Cavendish's dreams of the yellow jersey ended in a heap as the Manxman tumbled to the tarmac and was taken to hospital after a dramatic conclusion to the opening stage of the 101st Tour de France in Harrogate.

Marcel Kittel raced away to take victory but left carnage in his wake with Cavendish sat in the road holding his collar bone around 200 metres from the finish line after colliding with Orica-GreenEdge rider Simon Gerrans.

Cavendish, who had been bidding for his 26th Tour de France stage win, rode gingerly back to the Omega Pharma-QuickStep bus holding his side before being taken away in an ambulance with his wife Peta Todd and children following in a team car.

Kittel, Cavendish's nemesis on last year's Tour, said he hoped his sprint rival can continue despite his injury.

"I feel sorry for him," he said. "It is something that nobody wants to see, especially in front of his home crowd. I wish him all the best and I hope to see him at the start tomorrow."